Sword Art Online
by Hannah L-Sama
Summary: As a professional gamer, Ikuto is looking forward to trying out the newly released international sensation, Sword Art Online. However, once in, he and the other 9,999 players are unable to log out. To escape, the players must conquer all 100 floors and defeat the final boss and win the game. But there's a catch: If you die in the game, you die in real life. Based on the anime.
1. Chapter 1: Link Start!

Chapter 1: Link Start!

"Hi there! Time for this week's MMO stream! You just saw a promo for this today's featured game! And this is what last week's launch day looked like! Can you guess what everyone's waiting for? Sword Art Online! The first person said he waited in line for three days! But hey, if you're a hardcore gamer, that's what you do!" A perky reporter's voice exclaimed on the news.

Ikuto quietly flipped through a magazine at his desk as the TV played quietly in the background. The front cover of the magazine advertised NerveGear, the newest completely immersive game technology. The back cover showed a picture of the helmet. Paging through it, he came across a picture of a game developer. The text under it read _Kazoumi Hoshina, Sword Art Online. _Turning the next page, he accidentally scraped the tip of his finger across the edge of the page. He glanced down as a small drop of blood dripped off the new paper cut on his thumb.

"On today's episode of the MMO stream, we'll be covering the internationally famous Sword Art Online, aka SAO! Up to now, none of the NerveGear software received has taken advantage of the possibilities of the hardware!"

A knock sounded on Ikuto's bedroom door. He glanced at the clock. 12:55, Sunday, October 6, 2022.

"Ikuto! I'm leaving for practice! See you later okay?" His younger sister called. A few seconds later the front door slammed shut.

"This is the new MMO RPG that me and everyone else have been waiting for! The beta testers say it's incredible! I wish I could have gotten one! The first release is limited to only 10,000 copies! And online, it was said to have sold out in seconds!"

Ikuto switched off the TV. He plugged his NerveGear into his console, watching the three green lights light up on the side of him helmet. He quickly slid it on and lay down on his bed.

The clock on the screen on the inside of the headgear read 12:59. Full battery.

He took a deep breath as the machine started up.

13:00.

He smirked.

"Link start!"

Colorful pixels flew past him and text appeared on the screen. He quickly selected his language and logged in.

_Welcome to Sword Art Online! _

Blue and green flashed past him and a bright light shone, appearing as if he was flying through a portal. The light dimmed, and he opened his eyes.

He looked down at his boots and brought his fingerless leather glove clad hands in front of his face. He gave his fist an experimental squeeze.

His heart pumped loudly as he took his first look around the new world.

"I'm back."

* * *

**A/N: Hi there! Here's my first full-length fanfiction! Woo! I know the first chapter is pretty short, but I promise they'll get longer as the story progresses! This is basically Sword Art Online: Shugo Chara style! I couldn't help but notice how Kirito and Ikuto had similar personalities, and how they were both loners. Also, you don't have to have seen the anime to read this! I'll try to explain everything! Thanks for reading! R&R! **


	2. Chapter 2: Initial Motion

**A/N: Yay, a new chapter! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorite-ed(is that a word?)! Before we start, I would like to address the issue of this being a ****_literal _****version of SAO. Yes, it is currently very close, but at the moment, there isn't much room for me to change too much. As the story progresses, I will be adding more personality and original lines to the story(at the moment there's not much room for them). So don't worry, it won't be a complete copy. But it won't stray to much from the original plot line, either. Thanks and enjoy the chapter! It's a long one! **

* * *

Chapter 2: Initial Motion

_Floor 1: Town of Beginnings _

Fireworks went off above as more people materialized in the main square with a flash of blue-green light.

Ikuto ran through the streets, passing through a market. He wanted to get out and start leveling himself immediately. The tips of his avatar's black hair were visible on the edge of his eyesight. As he turned his way into an alley, a shout attracted his attention.

"Hey, dude!"

He slowed down and looked behind him as he heard steps of pursuit.

"Wait up!"

A figure bowled into the alley, slowing to a stop in front of him. He panted, resting his hands on his knees. "Woo!" He gasped, standing up to face him.

"You act like you know your way around here! You were in the beta test weren't you?"

Ikuto was surprised. "Yes?"

"Cool! Today's my first day!" He gestured to himself with his thumb. "Could you give me some tips on the lower floors?"

"I don't –"

"Awww, come on, please? I'm begging ya!" He clasped his hands in front of his face. "Look, my name's Kukai! Good to meet ya!" He gave a thumbs up.

Ikuto sighed. "Alright. I'm Ikuto."

* * *

_Floor 1: Town of Beginnings, West Field _

"GAAAHHH!" Kukai shouted as he was flung backwards into the air, his sword clattering to the ground behind him. The boar he was fighting snorted, its red eyes narrowed. He grasped his abdomen 'in pain' and rolled around in the grass in the fetal position. "Right in the… ahh, kill me now!"

Ikuto sighed. "Come on, you can't feel any pain."

Kukai slowly stopped an unrolled himself. "Oh yeah, you're right." He gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Habit, I guess."

"Remember what I said? The first move is the most important."

Kukai got to his feet. "Yeah, easy for you to say! He won't stand still!" He checked his health bank. The bar dropped a bit, turning from green to yellow.

Ikuto picked up a rock and tossed it in his palm, eyeing the red triangular prism hanging above the monster. "If you do your initial motion right," He pulled it behind his head, ready to throw. "and activate a sword skill at the right time…" The rock began to hum, charging up with energy. As energy built up, the rock began to glow red. Ikuto held it until it turned a bright scarlet. Then he threw it.

It whizzed through the air with a boom, leaving red streaks behind it. It crashed into the boar, leaving a red mark. The boar squealed and jumped away as it's health declined, gaining an orange tint.

"The system pretty much guarantees you'll always hit your target."

"Initial… motion?" Kukai muttered to himself as the boar turned to face them again and pawed the ground. He raised his sword in front of him.

"Here's an easier way to look at it," Ikuto muttered as he dodged a charge of the boar. The boar whirled to face him again and charged once more. Ikuto parried the tusks with his sword, keeping it back. "Right after you start your move, wait for a little bit. When you feel the skills start to activate, drive it home."

"Drive it home?" Kukai asked himself, almost skeptically. He readied himself into a fighting stance, pulling his sword back as it began to charge with energy. It began to surge in orange light.

Ikuto pulled his sword up from the tusks of the boar and kicked the animal in the chest, sending it turning around towards Kukai.

"Hyaaaaahhh!" Kukia cried, releasing the move. He swung his sword, charging forward to meet the boar. His sword flew through the air, leaving orange flashes in its wake. The blade swiped across the side of the boar, digging into it, leaving a red slash mark in the body as a wound. The cut was filled with a red grid, a small reminder of the fact that it was virtual.

Kukia landed back on the ground as the boar paused, it's health draining to red and zero. Finally, it exploded, leaving a mass of blue-green light shards flying through the air.

"huh…." Kukai breathed for a second. Then the counter appeared. _Defeated! _It read, along with what he'd won.

"Wohoo! YEAH!" Kukai yelled, pumping his fists into the air.

"Congrats." Ikuto and Kukai high-fived. "That was nice." He said as he slid his small sword back into its sheath on his back. "But that boar is about as weak as slimes in other games are."

"Holy crap you've got to be kidding! I thought that it was a mid-level boss!" Kukai cried.

"Yeah, as if." Ikuto chuckled as two more materialized on a hill a little ways away from them.

He heard a sword swing as a bright orange flash lit up behind his as Kukai did a power strike through the air. "Woah!" Kukai said amazed as the power of the swing blew his long red hair around.

"Addictive, isn't it?"

"I'll say." Kukai swung his sword again. "So these skills, there's a ton of them, like blacksmithing and stuff, right?" He held his sword back and charged it, the energy sound growing as the sword glowed brighter.

"Yep. I heard the game has an unlimited number of them. Except magic."

"And RPG without magic. That's a bold decision man!" Kukai grunted as he released his sword. "Wohoo, yeah!" he cheered.

"So, what do you think? It's kinda fun to move your body as you fight, isn't it?"

"You bet!"

"You ready to move on?"

"Yeah! Let's keep going man!" Kukai cheered.

* * *

Kukai and Ikuto spent the evening together on the West Fields, fighting different monsters as Ikuto taught Kukai the basics. They finally took a rest as the sun was setting, sitting beside a giant waterfall. The scene was beautiful, with the view of all the ridges and cliffs, different waterfalls, the sky painted a beautiful orange with fluffy clouds as exotic birds sailed through the sky.

"When I look around, I can't believe it. We're inside a game, man! Whoever made this is a genius!" Kukai settled himself on the lush green grass. "This thing is amazing! Makes me glad I was born when I was, you know?"

"It's not that big a deal."

"Cut me some slack, will ya, it's my first full dive!" Kukai protested.

"You've never used a NerveGear before today, huh? It's your first time ever?"

"Yep. As soon as I got the money together, I rushed out and got all the hardware to play SAO. Stood in line and scored one of the 10,000 hard copies. Guess you could say I was lucky. But you, sir, were ten times as lucky, getting to beta test it. Dude, only a thousand people got the chance!"

"Yeah, I guess I was lucky."

"Hey, do you mind if I ask how far you got in the beta?"

"Two months and I couldn't get farther then floor eight. But now I think I can get there within a month, easy."

"Sounds to me like you're really into this." Kukai said with a smile.

"You could say that. During the beta test, SAO was the only thing on my mind, day and night. In this world, a single blade can take you anywhere that you want to go. And even though this is a virtual world, I feel more alive in here than I ever did in the real world." Ikuto sighed to himself, surprised he had just let that out to an almost stranger. "Anyway, up for more hunting?"

"You know it!" Kukai grinned. "However…" his stomach growled. "I'm really hungry! I have to log out!"

"To bad the food you eat here only satisfies your hunger virtually."

"For real! That's why I ordered a pizza for 5:30!"

Ikuto smirked. "You seem prepared."

"You know it!" Kukai gave a thumbs up. "Besides, the game can wait until I get my pizza on!"

"I guess."

"Hey, I was going to go meet up with some of my friends from another game, if you want, you can friend them and come hang out, if you're not doing anything after this."

Ikuto got an uncomfortable look on his face.

"Hey, no worries, man, if you want, I could introduce you later or something. No pressure."

"Yeah, sorry. Thanks anyway."

"No way! I should be the one thanking you! Someday, I'll promise I'll repay you for your help! Virtually, of course!" He grinned.

"Yeah, right." Ikuto chuckled.

"Thanks for everything man, really. Guess I'll see you 'round then."

"If there's anything you need, message me."

"Aw, sweet! I'll do that!" The two shook hands.

Kukai gave a cheerful wave and turned away, swiping his finger through the air to bring up his menu. Ikuto turned to go but was stopped by a 'huh?' from Kukai.

"Where'd the log out button go?" Kukai muttered.

"It should be there." Ikuto replied.

"Hmm….. nope. It's not there." Kukai said, confusion laced in his voice.

"It should be at the bottom of the main menu." Ikuto took a few steps back toward him, pulling up his own menu.

Ikuto gave a small gasp of confusion. "Huh?"

"See, not there."

"You're right, it's not." Ikuto agreed.

"Oh well, today's what, the first day out of beta? There's bound to be some bugs. I bet the server people are freaking out right now!"

"You will too."

"Huh?"

Ikuto pointed to the time. 17:25. "Look, it's 5:25."

Kukai's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no! MY TERIYAKI MAYO PIZZA AND GINGER ALE! NOOO!" Kukai groaned, tearing at his hair.

"Why don't you just contact the Game Master?" Ikuto suggested.

"Yeah, I already did, but nothing's happening, he's not picking up." Kukai explained. "Do you know if there's another way to log out of this thing?"

"No. Whenever a player wants to log out of SAO, the only way to do it is by going through the menu."

"That can't be right! There's gotta be some other way out of this!" Kukai exclaimed. He began making karate moves and jumping up and down in the air. "Return! Log out! ESCAPE!"

"Told you so. There was no emergency log out in the manual either." Ikuto said quietly.

"No way, you're kidding! I know, just rip the NerveGear off my head!" He put his hands around his head as if to pry the helmet off.

"Don't bother. Once you're hooked in, you can't move your body in the real world anymore. The NerveGear intercepts all the commands you give from inside the game through an interface built into the rig."

"Seriously?" Kukai exclaimed, narrowing his eyes. "So now we gotta wait until someone gets around to fixing the bug?"

"That, or until someone in the real world comes along and takes the NerveGear off us. That's it."

"But… I live alone. You?"

"I have a mom and a sister. They might notice by dinnertime – "

Kukai interrupted him, running forward and slamming his hands onto Ikuto's shoulders and leaning towards his face eagerly. "You have a sister? How old is she? What's she like?"

"She's into sports and hates games she's totally not your type."

"And?"

"She wouldn't date a gamer if you were the last guy on Earth!"

"Who cares I wanna – AAAUUUGH!" Kukai was cut off as Ikuto kicked him where it hurts. He flailed on the ground for a moment until slowly sitting up again. "Oh, right. Getting kicked there doesn't hurt."

"Get serious. Don't you think this is weird?"

"Yeah, totally. But it's just a bug."

Ikuto surveyed the countryside, where the sun was only a speck on the horizon and most of the sky had faded to dark grey, and the colossal darkened pillars that stretched up into the sky, marking the dungeons where they could advance to the next level, looked black.

"If we can't log out, it's going to cause some serious problems for the game."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I wonder if the developers even know what's happening. They could just shut down the server and log everyone out. But why haven't they made an announcement?"

Kukai kept quiet from his spot on the grass, not having an answer.

Suddenly, a loud, low bell begin to toll. Kukai and Ikuto both immediately turned their heads in that direction. The bell continued to ring, sending an ominous sound across the fields.

Kukai and Ikuto were suddenly surrounded by a bright blue light. They gasped, and when it faded, they found themselves where they had started. The main square of the Town of Beginnings.

They inhaled a deep breath and whirled around, trying to figure out what was going on as more people continued to materialize around them. The courtyard continued to fill with people, the drone of concerned conversations growing louder and more confused by the second.

"Do you know what's going on?" A small girl asked her companion. He could only shake his head in reply.

"Someone forced a teleport." Ikuto said quietly. Just before the bell quieted. The talking, however, only got louder.

"What's going on here?"

"Huh?"

"Who did this?"

"Look, there!" Someone shouted. Ikuto looked up, spotting a dark red rectangular hexagon in the sky, right above the dome of a large building.

It blinked. _Warning! _It flashed.

"Now what?" Ikuto asked.

Without warning, the hexagon began to multiply, conjoining with other similar shapes side-by-side, forming an entrapping dome around the square, casting the whole place in an eerie, red, glow.

Then, from a hexagon that was labeled _System announcement, _A dark, sticky red liquid began to drip, pouring from the cracks and borders in between the other hexagons and began to pool in midair, creating a large, circular mass of dark-red blood-like substance. With a flash of lightning, it expanded, building up, beginning to form a figure.

"What the…?" Kukai muttered.

Finally, the figure raised its head, revealing a gigantic cloaked person. No face was visible through the hood, only darkness and black smoke pouring from the depths.

"Is that the Game Master?"

"Why doesn't he have a face?"

"Is this an event?"

"I'm scared!" A girl cried, clutching to her male companion.

"Don't worry, it's just part of the opening ceremony." He muttered, unable to tear his eyes away from the ominous, red-cloaked spectacle.

The figure raised its white gloved hands to the sides in a form of welcome. "Attention players. I welcome you, to my world."

"What's he mean by that?" Ikuto asked himself.

"My name is Kazoumi Hoshina," The figure continued. "and as of this moment, **_I_** am in control of this world."

Ikuto gasped quietly. _Kazoumi Hoshina? _He thought back to the picture he'd seen in the magazine this morning. This man was him?

"Seriously?"

"Is that really him?"

"Wow, that's some entrance."

"I'm sure most of you have already noticed an item missing from your main menus." The figure lifted a giant hand and swiped it downward, a menu appearing. "The log out button. Let me assure you, this is not a defect of the game. I repeat: this is not a defect of the game."

Ikuto's eyes widened as he began to get a foreboding feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"This was how Sword Art Online was designed to be."

"He's kidding, right?" Kukai asked, hoping for someone to prove him wrong.

"You cannot log yourselves out of SAO." The Game Master stated. "And no one from the outside will be able to shut down or remove the NerveGear from your head. If anyone attempts to do so, a transmitter inside the NerveGear with discharge a microwave signal to your skull, destroying your brain, and ending your life."

People gasped.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on, this is such a joke!"

"This game sucks!"

"Let's get out of here!" A guy muttered, dragging his partner to the exit of the square. However, once he reached it, he slammed into an invisible barrier. He stumbled backwards. "Hey, I can't get out!" He began to bang on the red dome wall.

Kukai snorted. "Are you listening to this? This guy's gotta be nuts, right? Right Ikuto?"

"He's not." Ikuto murmured. "The transmitter signals in the headgear work just like microwaves. If the safety's disabled, it could fry your brain."

"Couldn't someone… cut the power, or?"

"That won't work. The NerveGear has an internal battery."

Kukai gasped. "This is crazy. It's totally crazy!"

"Despite my warning, the families and friends of some of the players have attempted removing the NerveGear. And unfortunate decision, to say the least. As a result, the game now has 213 _less _players then when it began. They've been deleted from both Aincrad _and _the real world."

"213?!" Ikuto was shocked.

"No way!" Kukai gasped. "I don't believe it!"

"As you can see, international media outlets have around-the-clock coverage of everything. Including the deaths." Multiple boxes appeared around the figure, showing news channels in different countries covering the events. "At this point, it's safe to assume the likelihood of a NerveGear being removed is minimum, at best. I hope this brings you a little comfort as you try to clear the game."

One girl nearby broke down, sobbing into her friend's arms.

"It's important to remember the following: There is no longer anyway to revive someone within the game. If your HP drops to zero, your avatar will be deleted from the system, forever. And the NerveGear will simultaneously destroy your brain."

Ikuto's eyes narrowed as he clenched his fists in anger. Everyone froze and was now frozen in fear, giving all their attention to the Game Master.

"There is only one way to escape now." He continued. "You must clear the game. Right now you are gathered on Floor 1, the lowest level of Aincrad. If you can get through the dungeon and defeat the boss, you may advance to the next floor. Defeat the boss on floor 100, and you will clear the game."

"Clear it?"

"What's he talking about?"

"What?"

"Why should we believe any of the crap you're saying!"

"We can't clear all hundred floors." Kukai breathed shakily. "That's impossible. Even the beta testers never made it that high!"

"Last but not least…" The figure opened the menu again, "I've placed a little present in the item storage of every player. Please, have a look."

Ikuto quickly opened his menu and went to items, seeing the only item in his inventory. "A mirror?" He asked. Selecting it, it materialized into his hand. He looked into it, seeing the generic face of his avatar. Abruptly, a white light flashed beside him, as screams of surprise echoed throughout the courtyard. More and more players were consumed by it, as more screams and shouts built up.

Looking around, Ikuto took a step back as he was surrounded by his own light, so bright he had to screw his eyes shut. It flashed brightly for a moment as he felt something changing.

Suddenly the light was gone, and Ikuto removed his hands from his head.

"You okay Ikuto?" He heard from behind him. He turned.

"Yeah…" He stopped. "Wait, who are you?"

The person before him squinted in confusion. "I'm me, who are you?"

Ikuto looked back at his mirror and gasped, his eyes widening in surprise. He couldn't believe it. Before, where a generic avatar face existed, the face was now…. _His. _His own midnight blue hair and eyes, his own sharp, chiseled face.

It seems they weren't the only ones. Cries of confusion echoed around them. He looked off to the side where two teenage boys were arguing, one of them in a girl's outfit.

"Hey! You're a guy?!" He cried angrily.

"You're not seventeen!" The previously 'girl' yelled.

"Wait a second…"

Ikuto and the other guy both turned to face eachother.

"Is that you Ikuto/Kukai?!" They both cried at the same time.

When before Kukai had long, flowing red hair, he now had spiky, short, brown hair, held back from his head with a red and gold striped bandana-like cloth. He had bright green eyes with a friendly, cheerful face, but one that was now contorted with confusion.

"But, how - ?!"

"The scan." Ikuto determined. "There's a high-density signal device inside the NerveGear rig. It can see what my face looks like. But how does it know my height and body type?"

"When you first put the NerveGear on, it had you do this calibration thing. It had you touch your body all over like this." Kukai demonstrated by crossing his arms and placing his hands on his opposite shoulders. "Remember?"

"Yeah. You're right. That's where it got our physical data."

"But, this is…" Kukai clamped a hand on his head in frustration. What's the point? Why would anyone do this to us?"

As if to answer his question, the Game Master continued his speech. "I'm sure you're wondering why. Why would Kazoumi Hoshina, developer of Sword Art Online and NerveGear, do this? Ultimately my goal was a simple one. The reason I created Sword Art Online was to control the fate of a world of my design."

"_Hoshina_!" Ikuto growled. Trying to play God, was he?

"As you can see, I have achieved my goal."

Ikuto's fist clenched in anger.

"This marks the end of the tutorial, and the official launch of Sword Art Online. Players, I wish you the best of luck."

The image of the Game Master grew pixilated, and with a strange whirring noise, the figure began to dissolve into red smoke, receding back towards the hexagons, which disappeared with a snap. Within seconds, both disappeared as if they were never there.

No one spoke.

Every single occupant in the plaza had a stunned, gaping look on their face, to shocked to utter a word just yet.

Ikuto heart a small splash as he looked down, his bangs coming forward to hide his eyes. Blood dripped from a cut in his thumb. A cut he has only gotten just hours ago, flipping through a magazine. _It's not a game. It's real. Kazoumi Hoshina created a virtual world. _He _designed the NerveGear rig. The man's a genius. I've been a fan of his for a long time, so I know. Everything he just said is the truth. If I die in the game… I'll die in real life! _

The mirror dropped from his hands and shattered on the floor.

And with that, all Hell broke loose.

"Nooo!" A girl screamed, falling back into some of the people behind her.

Everyone began to panic, shouting and shoving against eachother, releasing their anger at the sky.

"Let me out!"

"I can't stay here! I have a meeting after this!"

"Stop pushing!"

All the voices blended into one angry roar. A small girl collapsed to her knees on the floor, not moving.

"You have to let us go!"

"Wait, seriously?!"

"We don't know what we're doing!"

"What did we ever do to you?!"

"Come back!"

The barrier on the edge of the courtyard disappeared, and Ikuto took his chance to escape the angry mob. Grabbing Kukai's wrist, he raced towards the exit. "Come on Kukai!"

They finally made it out, and ran until they found an abandoned alleyway. Ikuto stopped as he and Kukai caught their breath.

"Listen. I'm heading out right now for the next village. I want you to come."

"Huh?"

"If what he said was true, and I think it is, the only way we're going to survive in here is by making ourselves as strong as possible. In an MMORPG, the money you can earn, the XP, once the game starts up, there's only so much of that stuff to go around. Look. The fields around the Town of Beginnings are gonna be hunted clean soon. If we head to the next village now, we'll have an easier time collecting cash and points. Don't worry, I know all the paths and places we should avoid, even if I'm level 1, I can get there easy." Ikuto showed him the path on the map.

"Well… thanks, but, you know those friends of mine I was telling you about, we stood in line for a whole night to buy this. They're back at the plaza somewhere. And I can't leave them."

Ikuto looked down. _If it were just Kukai, but two more, or even one more…_

"Sorry. I can't ask a guy I just met to risk his life for a bunch of strangers, can I? So don't worry about me. Get yourself to the next village." Kukai grinned, gesturing to himself with his thumb. "I'll be fine. The last game I played I ran a guild, so I'm more than prepared. And with all the stuff you taught me I'll get by, no sweat."

"If that's what you want, I'll get going." Ikuto turned away. "But if you're in a jamb, message me."

Kukai nodded.

"I'll be seeing you Kukai. Take care."

"Ikuto!"

He paused without looking back.

"I…" He stopped.

Ikuto resumed walking forward.

"Hey, Ikuto, uh… you look better like this."

Ikuto angled his head back curiously.

"Way cooler than your avatar."

Ikuto smirked. "Your new face isn't bad either, kid."

He took a few steps into the darkness, and glanced back.

The alley was empty.

Ikuto began to run, stretching his legs to reach top speed.

_My sister… mother..._

_The People in the plaza…_

Ikuto exited the town at top speed and sped across the fields, pushing himself to the limit as he panted.

_Kukai… _

A bright light flashes on the path before him, and a wolf materialized, its menacing red eyes focused right on him.

He drew his sword and held it back, powering it, as he and the wolf sped towards each other.

_I can do this! This world can't beat me! I will make it back! _

He leapt into the air at the same time as the wolf did, opening it's jaws in an attempt to devour him.

He swung his sword, the blade whizzing through the air with power as he shot past the wolf, a long blue streak flashing through the air.

The wolf exploded as Ikuto landed back on the ground.

_I _will _survive!_

* * *

**Hannah: Told you it was a long one! I hope I conveyed enough emotion there. **

**Amu: When do I come in?**

**Hannah: Next chapter! Yay! Also, instead of the shy way Asuna is betrayed at first, we'll be getting Amu's façade instead. Also, sadly, there aren't very many female characters in SAO, so I don't know how much of the gang we'll be able to fit in here. Nobody really hangs around much in this game. **

**Kukai: I think I only appear for the boss fights now. **

**Hannah: Something like that. Anyway! **

**Kukai: Hope you enjoyed!**

**Amu: Please R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3: Party Up

**A/N: Here's another chapter! Yay! There is actually a lot of originality in this chapter, although you might not notice it. A lot of the things I changed were single lines, so unless you have everything memorized word for word, you probably won't notice it :P**

**Also, original plots! Yes! I actually have one planned right now, although I don't know where I'm going to put it yet. an for clarification, original = not in the anime. I haven't red the manga, so if it's in there, I didn't copy it. It involves Utau. Can you possibly guess what it is?**

**The only thing I ****_really _****wanted to change here were Kirishima's last lines in this chapter. Personally I think they're pretty cheesy and cliché, but I had to keep them sigh. And yup, Kirishima's here. I was going to use someone else, but I wanted to save that 'someone' for later. Also, please keep in mind that everyone's older, here. No 12-year olds :P**

**Anyway, without further delaying, here's the chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3: Party Up

_December 2nd, 2022_

_Floor 1: Torbana _

Ikuto made his way through the town, heading towards the outdoor amphitheater.

_It's been one month since the game began…. And we still haven't even been able to beat the boss and clear the first floor. Two thousand people have perished. _

_Even though I was a beta tester… I still haven't been able to find the bosses' lair. _

They were holding a meeting today to discuss how to defeat the boss.

Ikuto arrived just as the leader of the meeting, Kirishima, was standing up to speak. He quietly took a seat in the back of the theatre, away from the others.

"Alright, listen up." Kirishima began, quieting the crowd. "As you all know, we're here to discuss how to defeat the first level boss. The lair has been discovered. First, everyone please party up into teams. I will then divide you into Squads A, B, C, D, E, and F."

Ikuto watched as everyone below paired up. He glanced to the side and noticed what looked to be a girl sitting by herself off to the side, her figure and face covered by a cloak. She didn't make a move to ask anyone, but she looked to be staring at the other parties. Well, she was the only one left.

He sauntered over, taking a seat beside her.

"What, to chicken to approach anyone?"

The girl jumped ever so slightly and turned, giving him a glare that he could feel even though he couldn't see her eyes. "Who are you?" She said coldly.

"The only other available party member."

She faced forward again, not acknowledging him.

"Do you want to team up with me?"

He waited.

"Fine."

He opened his menu and sent her a request. A white window popped up in front of her. _Party request. Do you wish to accept? _She hit the blue circle, accepting.

"Hold up!" A shout below attracted Ikuto and his companion's attention. A man, red-faced and furious, stormed up to Kirishima.

"The beta testers know all about this boss, don't they?! And they haven't told us! They've been withholding information from all of us!" He stormed. "I think they should apologize! People have died! They should compensate! Give us their gold and supplies! "

Ikuto narrowed his eyes at the man.

"In fact, I bet there are some here! We can't expect ourselves to trust them if they don't trust us!" He yelled angrily at the stadium. A stunned silence settled over everyone.

"May I speak?" A quiet but firm voice announced from the audience. A tall, green-haired man stood up, making his way to the front. He stood before the man, towering over him.

"Allow me to ask if I understand correctly. You blame the beta testers for the rookie's deaths, because they didn't help, and you wish to make them apologize and give up their winnings? Did I leave anything out?"

"No, you didn't." The red-faced man spat.

He nodded, and pulled a small brown book from his pocket. "The items store hands these out for free. It's a guidebook. You got one, did you not?"

"Sure I did. What about it, Kairi?"

"Would you like to know who created this? The ex-beta testers." The green-haired man announced. Gasps echoed throughout the stadium. Kairi turned towards the audience. "Every player had equal access to this information, even so, lots of players have still died. I didn't come here to lay any blame. I'm here because I want to learn from those players deaths. I'm here because I wish to learn how to defeat the boss." He turned to face the shorter man again, staring him down. With a grunt of anger and disapproval, the man stormed back and threw himself in his seat. Kairi went back to his.

"Can we get back to the meeting now?" Kirishima yelled. No one objected. He pulled out the small guidebook. "For info on the boss, it's all in here, the latest issue of the guidebook you just heard about." A small ripple of 'what?'s made its way through the people.

"According to the book, the bosses' name is Illfang the Kobold Lord. Also, he'll be surrounded by his minions, the Ruined Kobold Sentinels. Illfang carries an axe and a buckler. He has four health bars, and when the last one turns red, he switches to a curved sword-type weapon called a talwar. He can change his patterns of attack too." More murmurs arose across the audience.

Kirishima closed the book. "That's it for the briefing. As for the distribution of loot, money will be divided equally among everyone. The party that defeats the boss gets the XP. And, whoever gets an item, gets to keep it. Any objections?"

No one spoke.

"Good! We leave tomorrow at ten in the morning! Meeting adjourned!"

People got up and began to leave. The angry man from earlier approached Kirishima as if to apologize.

Ikuto turned to the side as he heard a rustle of cloth. His companion stood up and walked out of the amphitheater without another word.

* * *

The tavern bard played music as people drank and socialized, an almost 'before-boss-beating-party'. A girl with her face covered by a cloak sat by herself in a corner, trying to tear into a hard crust of bread.

"Pretty good, aren't they?" Ikuto approached from the side. "Mind if I sit down?" He 'asked' as he took a chair beside her. The girl shrugged indifferently.

"You think these taste good?" She asked as he pulled out a roll identical to the one she was holding.

Ikuto nodded. "Since I came to this town, I end up eating at least one a day. Though, I have trick to making them taste better."

"Trick?" She asked.

Ikuto brought out a small container and sat it down on the table in front of her. "Try it." He suggested.

The girl did so, spreading it on her roll. "Cream?"

Ikuto spread some on his own bread and began eating it. The girl took a small first bite, then quickly devoured the whole roll. Ikuto chuckled.

"You can get that from 'the heifer strikes back' quest in the village before this one." He told her. "Wanna know how?"

The girl shook her head. "Thanks, but I'm not here to eat good food." She said coldly.

"Why are you here?" Ikuto asked in the same icy tone. The girl sighed.

"I'm here because I want to help. I don't want to sit and rot in a small house in the Town of Beginnings while other people risk their lives for us. I'm not going to be beaten. Even if a monster kills me and I die, I won't lose to this game or this world."

Ikuto finished the last of his roll. "You know," he said, "perhaps you're not as cold and untouchable as you pretend to be."

The girl gave a quiet gasp. "W-what?"

"Why do you do it?"

The girl folded her hands in her lap. "I don't know why. It just happens, I guess. I just get really nervous, and I don't know what to do… it became sort of like a defense mechanism I guess."

She looked up towards the sky. "I thought, that by maybe going to a new place, where nobody knew what I was like, would give me a fresh start. I thought maybe I could show my real personality. Even if it was just a game, it'd be small start. But…" She sighed, trailing off.

The two sat in silence for a few moments.

"I'd hate to have a party member die on me. So try not to die tomorrow."

She chuckled softly. "Sure."

* * *

_December 3rd, 2022_

_Floor 1: Forest Field _

"Let's go over it again."

"Whatever."

Ikuto chuckled. _She's still with the act, huh? Even after she told me. _

Ikuto batted at a branch jutting into the forest path. In just a little while, they would be fighting the first floor boss.

"As squad D, we'll be back up, so our targets will be the boss' minions, the Ruined Kobold Sentinels. I'll use a sword skill to knock their weapons up and out of the way. When I do, switch and take over."

"Switch?"

"…is this the first time you've been in a party?"

"Yep."

Ikuto groaned, running a hand through his hair. He had a lot of explain before they faced the boss.

* * *

"Listen up, everyone. I have only one thing to say." Kirishima grinned. "Let's win this!"

With that, he turned and opened up the huge double doors.

They entered into a massive dark hall, lined with pillars. The floor was decorated with intricate designs. At the far end of the chamber, a large, black silhouette was slumped in a throne with a large battle axe by its side. It opened its eyes. Two glowing yellow orbs pierced the darkness.

With that, the room lit up, The walls and ceiling burst into colors, shifting and moving masses that almost gave the appearance that they were in a kaleidoscope, though much smoother.

The figure leapt up, grabbing the battle axe and landed before the players, towering over them. Text, four health bars, and a red triangular prism appeared over its head. _Illfang the Kobold Lord. _

Illfang took the appearance of a large, red, fat, upright, rat-like creature. The mouth was filled with sharp teeth while two yellow beady eyes protruded from the skull. It had a triangular design tattooed in light blue on its stomach. A pink tail protruded from its back. A green neck brace attached to a hood, which covered the back of the head. It was also equipped with matching gauntlets.

Three more creatures appeared. Their figures were more kangaroo-like, however, only their long red ears, tails, and claws showed from their full-body armor. Their faces were covered by helmets. They carried large, oddly-shaped maces. _Ruined Kobold Sentinels _appeared over their heads, along with health bars and red prisms.

With a roar, all four of them charged.

"Commence attack!" Kirishima cried, pointing his sword towards them, holding his shield against his chest.

With yells and battle cries, the players charged forward, meeting the first floor boss.

"Squadrons A and C! Change!" Kirishima called. Both Teams did as they were told.

"Here it comes! Squad B, block!"

Illfang raised the massive battle axe over its head and brought it down. Kairi and a few other men, with glowing charged swords, brought them up to block the attack.

"C! Continue guarding and prepare to switch! Everyone else, when you fall back, regroup and flank them!" Kirishima swiveled to see the remaining groups. "Squads D, E, and F, keep those minions off us!"

Ikuto nodded and charged to the nearest Sentinel. It leapt into the air, bringing its mace over its head. Ikuto brought his own sword up and parried the blow, knocking the weapon out of the way.

"Switch!"

Ikuto leapt back as the girl shot forward, flying past him, to meet the Sentinel. She brought her sword back, charging it. She released it, slashing at the rat. It gave a grated squeak as it was knocked back before exploding.

_I thought she was a beginner. But she's got some good skills. I can barely see the tip of her sword. _

"Nice." He said quietly.

Another Sentinel materialized out of the air above him and jumped on him. Ikuto slashed upward and deflected the blow, then back down, knocking the creature away.

A massive roar from Illfang distracted him. He turned. The creature threw its head forward, leering, and gave a menacing snap of its jaws as its last health bar turned red. It thrust its hands into the air and released its axe and shield, sending them flying across the hall.

"Looks like that guidebook was right." A man muttered. They all prepared to hit the boss again.

"Stand back!"

Everyone turned as a figure dashed past them towards the front.

"I got it!" Kirishima yelled.

Ikuto knocked aside the weapon of the Sentinel he was fighting and looked back as his companion switched forward.

_The plan was for everyone in the group to surround it. _

He saw Kirishima chuckle as he ran towards Illfang, readying his sword.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. _What's he up to?_

Kirishima paused, waiting for Illfang to draw the talwar, his sword emitting bursts and sparks of energy.

Illfang drew it out, a long, blunt blade that grew thicker until the end, where it branched off into two points.

Ikuto gasped.

_That's not a talwar! It's an odachi! This isn't like the beta!_

"Wait! Stop!" He cried, when suddenly the Sentinel came at him again. He swung his sword.

Only a few turned back towards him.

"It's no good! Get out of there!"

The boss jumped high into the air, crashing into the top of a pillar, then turned and leapt off it, flying across the room towards the opposite end. Kirishima and the players all swiveled, following Illfang's movements.

The boss shot downwards, bowling into Kirishima, knocking him into the air.

He swung the odachi.

Kirishima cried out as a red slash mark wound appeared across his chest.

Illfang pulled back and struck again, sending Kirishima flying across the room. He crashed into the floor, rolling several times and collapsing into a heap.

"Kirishima, no!" A man cried as Illfang landed behind them. They turned , meeting with his roar and snarling jaw.

Ikuto raced over, sliding into a kneeling position beside Kirishima. He pulled up his head, watching as his health bar turned red and continued declining.

"What were you thinking?!" Ikuto pulled out a health potion. However, Kirishima pushed it back towards him.

"You know, you were a beta tester too, weren't you?"

Ikuto inhaled quickly, and nodded.

"You were after the last attack bonus, the rare item." Ikuto realized. "You're a beta tester, like me."

Kirishima nodded weakly. "Please… you have to… defeat the boss… for everyone here…"

Kirishima's figure faded, turning a transparent blue. And with that, he exploded into blue light shards, leaving Ikuto holding air.

He was dead.

_When this death game started, the only thing I thought about was how I was going to survive. Nothing else mattered. But you weren't like that, Kirishima. You didn't abandon the other players. You brought them together. You lead everyone. And you fought brilliantly. You tried to accomplish something I couldn't. _

Ikuto stood slowly and turned back towards the boss. Illfang roared at the players.

Ikuto gripped his sword tightly in his hand. His cloaked companion appeared next to him.

"I'll go to." She said.

Ikuto nodded. "Okay."

With that, they both took off, charging toward the boss.

"We'll hit him just like we did the minions."

"You got it."

Illfang's beady eyes turned towards them. He pulled his sword back. It began to glow and snap with power.

Ikuto lifted his sword to meet the blow, undaunted.

The blades collided with a loud clang, a bright flash, and a burst of sparks.

"Switch!" Ikuto yelled.

The girl jumped into the air, bringing her glowing rapier forward, and struck him across the face.

"Amu!" Ikuto yelled.

She gasped and jumped back just as the boss swung the odachi, hitting her cloak instead of her. It disappeared in a flurry of blue sparkles.

She remained determined, lifting her face, showing fierce golden eyes, glaring at the boss.

"Hyah!" She cried, driving her blade into the monster, sending it backwards.

She landed on the ground, long pink hair swirling around her.

A roar alerted Ikuto to the monster. "He's coming back!" He warned.

Ikuto deflected a blow of the boss, allowing the girl to get in another blow.

The boss changed its attack pattern, launching into a series of quick strikes. Ikuto quickly blocked each one. He swung his sword up and then widely to the left to dislodge Illfang's blade. Only then did he realize his mistake.

He'd left himself directly open for an attack.

The monster struck. Ikuto went flying across the room, crashing into the girl behind him. They both fell into a heap on the floor as Ikuto's sword clattered away.

Ikuto's health declined, giving the previously green bar a yellow tint.

The girl gasped, and they both looked up at an ear-splitting roar, seeing the monster above them, holding up its sword, which was glowing a brilliant yellow.

The monster threw it downwards, delivering a killing blow.

A battle cry sounded, and with a flash of light blue, the odachi was deflected away from them.

Kairi was standing above them, a katana raised in the air.

He turned. "We can hold him off until your health is restored."

Ikuto nodded.

With yells and battle cries, all the players charged towards Illfang, attacking with all they had.

Changing its attack pattern again, Illfang leapt high into the air, giving itself time to charge its odachi to maximum power.

Ikuto leapt up as the monster began its descent. "Watch out!"

Kairi was knocked onto his back, his katana out of reach as he watched Illfang come towards him.

Ikuto leapt into the air to meet the rat before he could damage anyone on the ground.

He brought his sword up in a direct forward swipe, slashing the monster across the chest. He then sliced the monster in the side, sending it crashing downwards. It slammed into the ground in a cloud of dust.

Ikuto landed and didn't even pause before charging towards him again.

"Come on Amu, help me! One last attack!"

"You got it." She called, falling into step beside him.

They both charged towards the monster one last time.

Before them, the dust cleared, and Illfang got to its feet, ready to meet them.

As Illfang swung the odachi, Ikuto deflected it.

_Switch!_

Amu jumped forward, stabbing it with her rapier.

_Switch!_

Ikuto came forward and swung his sword downwards, cutting it deeply. The monster roared, its tongue lolling out of the mouth, stumbling back.

Ikuto quickly followed, digging his sword into the stomach and jumped upward, dragging it as deeply as he could. He pulled it out and went for one last blow, digging it into the monster again. And again. And again and again and again. _For Kirishima._

The monster began to glow blue. Ikuto fell downward, unable to stay in the air any longer. He fell to the ground on his knees.

The first level boss sailed into the air, Ikuto's wounds glowing a bright, radiant, blue, before it exploded, a blinding light flashing in the room.

The players were silent, staring. Had they done it? Was it over?

_CONGRATULATIONS! _

And with that, everyone exploded into cheers.

"We did it!"

"Yeah!"

"Woo!"

"That's what I'm talking about!"

"Come one!"

"He ain't got nothin' on us!"

Joy practically oozed from the players as they examined the windows that had popped up, showing them what they'd won.

Ikuto panted from his knees on the ground from where he'd landed. Opening his eyes, he read the text of the window.

_Congratulations! You got the last attacking bonus!_

Another small window opened up.

_Bonus item: Coat of Midnight_

"Nice job."

Ikuto turned and saw the girl and Kairi standing behind him.

"That was fine swordsmanship. Congratulations." Kairi said. "Today's victory is all thanks to you."

"No." Ikuto said. But the crowd burst into cheers.

"Yeah!"

"You rock, man!"

They clapped and cheered, as Ikuto only stared at them.

"STOP CHEERING!" Someone shouted.

Everyone paused, turning to look. It was the man who'd complained about the beta testers at the plaza, on his knees.

"Why'd you do it, huh? Why'd you let Kirishima die?"

"Let him die?"

"That's what I said!" The man threw his head up, his fiery eyes burning holes into Ikuto's. "Admit it. You knew what technique the boss was going to use! You could have told us! Than Kirishima could have had a chance! He wouldn't have had to DIE!"

The crowd began to talk, uncomfortable murmurs echoing throughout the chamber. Everyone looked toward Ikuto doubtfully.

"I know why he knew!" Another man piped up, pointing an accusatory finger towards Ikuto. "He used to be a beta tester! Think about it! He knew the bosses' attack patterns! He KNEW, but he kept it from us! And, I bet he's not the only beta tester here! Come on, show yourselves!"

Everyone began to look around at each other, the same questions running through their heads. Could one of their own party members be a beta tester? Who were they? They all began to talk quietly amongst themselves.

_This is bad. At this rate…Kirishima…_

Ikuto remembered his last words. _"__For everyone here…"_

He glanced back towards his item window and gulped.

Kairi approached the men. "Listen, calm down." He instructed.

They were interrupted by laughter.

They all turned backwards as one, eyeing the hunched figure on the floor in disbelief as he began to laugh harder.

"So you guys think I used to be a beta tester."

Ikuto stood. "It's not cool to be in the same class with those noobs."

"What'd you say?!" The man demanded angrily.

Ikuto began to walk towards them. "You heard me. Most of the thousand people who scored a slot in SAO's beta were rookies. They were so green, they didn't even know how to level up." He smirked. "Even you guys were better than they were."

Ikuto walked out of the crowd, his back facing them. "But me? I'm nothing like them." He paused, squaring his feet confidently on the floor. "During the beta, I made it to floors that were higher than any of the other testers. That's a fact. I knew about the boss, because I fought tons of monsters with way more sword skills on higher floors." He turned his head back slightly, to allow his narrowed eyes to burn into the man. "I know lots of other things, too. More than you can imagine. More than any info broker."

"Wha…. What the…." The man was livid. "If that's true than you're worse than a beta tester! YOU'RE A _FILTHY CHEATER, _THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE!"

The crowd yelled in anger and approval.

"He's a beta tester and a cheater. He's a beater!" a man yelled.

"A _beater?_" Ikuto asked. He smirked. "Yeah, that's good. I like it."

The crowd gasped in disbelief, shocked.

"Okay, you can call me a beater." Ikuto said, opening his menu. "Just make sure you don't confuse me with those _beta testers _anymore." He spat the phrase 'beta tasers' in venom.

He selected the bonus item on his menu and with a flash, a dark black coat swirled around him, ending past his black boots with a high collar that extended up past his neck.

He turned back, gave one last glare, then turned on his heel, striding towards the doors. No one spoke a word.

Suddenly, Amu took off after him, chasing him towards the stairs. "Wait." She called.

Ikuto paused without turning back.

"When we were fighting the boss, you called me by my name."

"I wasn't trying to be rude. Did I get the pronunciation wrong?"

"How'd you even know it?"

He turned back slightly. "If you look… right here." He gestured, holding a hand beside his head. "You'll see another HP gauge under yours. There's a name written right next to it."

She squinted. "Iku… Ikuto. Ikuto?"

"Yeah."

The girl giggled. "It was there the whole time and I never knew."

Ikuto turned back. "You can become powerful here on your own. But if the day comes when someone you trust invites you to join a guild, don't turn it down." He advised quietly. "Because there are limits to what a solo player can do."

"But… you're solo."

Ikuto walked up the rest of the stairs, not replying. He opened his menu and pulled up a window.

_Dissolve _

_Will you disband your party?_

He hit the blue circle.

Opening the doors, he walked out into the darkness.

* * *

**Hannah-Sama: WOO! *falls back* I'm done! Finally! Oh! And yay for Amu's façade! xD **

**Amu: That was intense. **

**Hannah: yup. Okay, IF YOU REVIEW: please, ****_please _****tell me what you thought of the fight scene! Did I describe it good enough? Was it too long? That was ****_so _****tiring, for those of you who have: Is not writing a sword fight scene the hardest thing ever? Like, a book I'm writing is set in Medieval times, and eeeeuuuuuugh, battles…. *hits head against table* I'm so glad it's over… Well, next chapter, we have Nadeshiko! As an actual girl!**

**Nadeshiko: Yay! Ikuto will join my guild! Can you guys guess who I'll be?**

**Nagihiko: *cries***

**Ikuto: It should be kinda obvious. I mean, there are only like five whole girls in all of SAO.**

**Hannah: It's like Lord of The Rings all over again…. *tear* I mean, like, if I was there! I would kick virtual monster butt! I think…. I have this odd phobia of dying in games…. And this storyline doesn't help…. **

**Amu: As if our parents need another reason to hate video games. Ha.**

**Hannah: Also, why do you guys think Ikuto made everybody hate him? Re-watching the anime now, I paid special attention and noticed that Kirito's speech appeared to be an act. Why? Was he trying to keep people from hating the other beta testers? That's the only reason I ca think of. Anyone else got any theories? Let me know! **

**Nadeshiko: Thanks for reading!**

**Ikuto: R&R.**

**Amu: Wow, Ikuto. Enthusiastic**


	4. Chapter 4: A Deal

**A/N: Hello, chaps! Another update! In this chapter we meet the utterly-amazing Utau as well as Nadeshiko and her guild, The Midnight Black Cats! And yes, I had to come up with a lot of this part on my own, so if somehow, something I say is incorrect(significant details. I don't care if the sky should be blue instead of turquoise :P) let me know. Although I think everything should be okay. Also, this chapter contains a character named Ren. Because there aren't many girl in it, I genderbent Ran, the chara. I might do that with a few others, but I'm not sure. **

**Utau: Why yes. Yes I am utterly amazing. Thanks for noticing. **

**Kukai: Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 3: A Deal

_December 10__th_

A mass of light shards surrounded Ikuto as a white window popped up.

_Defeated!_

Another window popped up over that one.

_Level up!_

Ikuto smirked in satisfaction. He'd been working hard to level up, fighting monsters and exploring the dungeons.

He continued to make his way forward. He hadn't seen another person in a few days while he'd been here. _I should go back into town tonight. _He thought.

He walked at a decent pace through the dungeon caves, alert for monsters. This series of dungeons had a new feature to a few of its monsters: they could sneak up on you. _There will most likely be more monsters who sneak up on you on higher floors. '_He_'__is just getting the players used to them now. _

Ikuto scowled in disgust.

_Kazoumi Hoshina…. Why'd you do it? _

A giant cave spider appeared in front of him.

It jumped forward, attempting to bite him with its fangs. Ikuto stabbed it. It jumped back, hissing, before climbing up the wall to the ceiling. It jumped down, attempting to stick him with its stinger. He struck upward, his charged sword plunging into the body of the spider. It exploded.

Ikuto quickly closed the window that popped up. Once fought several times, Giant Cave Spiders weren't too hard to defeat. He continued walking.

_He had everything. He was world renowned gamer, developer and multi-millionaire, with a family. This will ruin him. He's willing to throw everything away for this? For a virtual world? _

Ikuto shook his head. Hoshina wasn't the only one losing everything.

_Ten thousand people. Ripped away from their worlds. _

He was brought out of his thoughts by a voice.

"Hey, you. Ten-o-clock."

Ikuto turned to the left, bringing his sword upward as he did so. A long shape flew towards him, two sharp fangs glittering in the light. A serpent. Relatively weak, but the bites were deadly.

Ikuto's sword sliced through it. The head hovered in the air a moment before disappearing, the body along with it.

He turned towards the voice, sheathing his sword as he did so.

It was a girl, with two blonde twintails on her head, piercing amethyst eyes, and a battle axe casually balanced on her shoulder. She looked slightly familiar for some reason, but Ikuto couldn't place her face. However, what caught his attention was the orange triangular prism over her head.

"Who'd you kill?"' He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "You're welcome."

He shrugged. "I knew it was there."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure you did."

Ikuto smirked. "So," he leaned forward, "Who'd you kill?" He repeated.

"He ripped me off. He was part of a dirty orange guild."

Ikuto nodded. "Solo player?" He guessed.

She scowled. "I don't trust people."

He nodded. "Me too."

"The solo part or the not trusting people part?"

"Maybe both. You know, you can't plan on winning the game as a loner."

"I know a lot of things other people don't. I know how things work. I'll be fine." She frowned, turning away.

"You might want to be careful. People might go a little hostile if they find out you were a beta tester."

"How'd you know I was a beta tester?" He tone was surprised, filled with suspicion.

He shrugged. "I can just kind of tell."

"Well – " They were interrupted by a loud yell, and then a scream. They both turned toward the noise, looked back at each other, sighed quietly, then took off down the hall.

As they grew closer to where the sounds had come from, They began to hear sounds of battle.

They exited the smaller cave and entered into a large, open cavern. The site that met their eyes was a small guild, maybe four or five people, surrounded by cave trolls. They had managed to separate themselves, furthering their chances of defeat.

"Idiots…" The girl muttered.

They both charged into the midst of the trolls, Ikuto swinging his sword, the blonde her battle axe.

Ikuto quickly fought his way over to one of the guild members, a girl with long purple hair. He blocked the hammer of a troll that was about to crash down on her and dispatched it. He turned and struck another troll, sending it flying backwards.

"Here." Ikuto tossed the girl a health potion.

"Thank you." She drank it, her HP shooting back up into the green.

She stabbed the troll Ikuto was fighting, causing it to explode. On the other side was the twin-tailed blonde and the other guild members, breathing heavily, all with low HP bars.

"That was a drag." The blonde commented roughly.

"Wow, thanks! You two really helped us out!"

"You bet we did." She snorted. "We saved you."

A lilac-haired guild member snorted. "We were doing fine."

"Kiseki," A girl with orange low twin tails scolded, "we were losing. You should thank them."

He remained silent.

"Well," the girl continued, "I suppose we should introduce ourselves. I'm Dia, this is Kiseki, this is Nadeshiko," she pointed to the girl that Ikuto had helped, "This is Rhythm," she pointed to a member with short, spiked, dark purple hair, "and this is Ren." She pointed to an energetic looking guy with red hair.

"We're the Midnight Black Cats!" Ren cheered, pumping his fist into the air.

"I'm Ikuto." Ikuto introduced.

"Who's she?" Kiseki gestured to the blonde.

Ikuto shrugged. "I don't know. I only met her a few minutes ago."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm Utau." She stated.

"Well, Ikuto-kun, Utau-chan," Dia said, smiling. "Thank you for helping us. Please, allow us to treat you to a meal back in town as payment for our gratitude."

"No thanks." Utau said immediately, turning away.

"What?!" Ren yelled, "Come on, what could it hurt?! It's free food!"

She sighed heavily. "Fine."

Dia turned her smile to Ikuto. "Will you be joining us, Ikuto-kun?"

He shrugged. "Sure. I don't see why not."

* * *

"Thanks again for helping us out!" Rhythm grinned.

"Yup! Couldn't have done it without you!" Ren agreed.

"You bet you couldn't have." Utau snorted.

Dia giggled at Ren's face falling. "Thank you, Utau-chan." She smiled a million-dollar smile.

"You guys have some great skills." Rhythm commented. "What level are you?"

"About fifteen or so." Ikuto shrugged. Utau remained silent.

"Would either of you two be interested in joining our guild?"

Utau stood up. "Listen, guys, This has been fun and all, but I've got things to be doing, and joining an amateur guild isn't one of them. So thanks, but no thanks. Ja ne."

She gracefully strode out of the room. Ikuto stood as well.

"Excuse me," he said, "I'll be right back."

He went outside and found Utau leaning against a wall not to far away. He went over and stood next to her. For a few moments, neither said a word.

"Did I mention," Utau's voice was quiet, "That the man who betrayed me was from my own guild?"

"What exactly did he do?"

"This guy was a bit shady, but I never thought about it too much and always avoided him. He never liked me from the beginning, I never knew why. I got a rare item as a last attack bonus on one of the boss fights. He wanted it, offering to trade me some stuff for it. I said no. He got really angry and started yelling at me, telling me I didn't deserve it. I'd had enough and took off. The next time we went dungeon exploring, he was paired up with me. He apologized for how he'd behaved. I didn't really care, but whatever. So then we were exploring, and he was leading the way. He led me to a hidden room in the caverns, one where there had previously been treasure. So then he jumps in front of the door to keep me from leaving. He said to give me the item or die. I told him that he couldn't kill me if he didn't want a orange triangle above his head. But no. He wanted that rare item so bad that he brought in an orange guild to kill me. I had just leveled up, so I was barely able to kill the assassin. I quit the guild, and then killed him. And then I took off."

"What was the rare item?"

"This battle axe."

Ikuto nodded, and there was silence again.

"So, why are you solo?" Utau asked.

"I work alone." He shrugged.

She snorted. "That's it? That's your reason? A pretty lame one, if you ask me. You know, there's only so far a solo player can get in this game. I know you were a beta tester, but this is the real thing."

"I'll survive."

Utau rolled her shoulders, yawning. "Dude, you need to loosen up. You're way to high-strung. You know, you're not too much different than them. Sure, you're a higher level than they are – don't think I bought that lie that you told – and you were a beta, but that's where it stops. We're all really in the same boat. Whatever secrets you think you have, or whatever you think makes you so different – let it go. We're all in the same situation here. We've all been torn away from our family, our friends, our homes , and we're all in a new element. Even the beta testers. You don't know everything about the game. So take a break from your pride and loosen up."

Ikuto was surprised. _No one's ever talked to me like that, or been just straight-up blunt like that…_

"Says Mrs. I-won't-join-a-guild-because-I-don't-trust-anyone." He replied.

"Like I said, I have my reasons."

"Sure you do."

Utau scowled at him, and then shook her head. "If you knew, you would hate me too."

"Knew what?"

She looked down. "If you knew who I was."

"Unless you were Kazoumi Hoshina himself, I honestly don't really care who you are."

She turned, giving him a withering glare. "Not even his daughter?"

"Yuki Hoshina?*" He asked. "You're her?" Then it dawned on him. "I knew you looked familiar."

She raised an eyebrow. "You know my name and what I look like? What are you, a stalker?"

Ikuto rolled his eyes. "I was a big fan of him. I saw you in a picture with him once."

She looked down. "Yeah…"

"So, he let you play the game?"

Utau shook her head. "No. He didn't want me to play it at all. I begged him for months just to be in the beta test. I bought the equipment to play through my friend. I went to her house to play."

"So, he doesn't know you're playing?"

She shook her head.

"Well… I guess you're right. A lot of people would hate you if they knew that."

They both stood in silence for a few minutes.

Utau turned to face him. "Tell you what, Ikuto. Let's make a deal."

"What kind of deal?"

"We should each give a guild a chance. At least for a month."

Ikuto sighed. "Fine." They shook hands.

"Well, until we meet again. See ya, Ikuto." She turned and strode off into a dark alley.

Ikuto walked back to the tavern, pausing in the door. He watched the Midnight Black Cats interacting. They were talking and laughing happily, as if they'd been friends their whole lives.

_Well, I guess I'll give them a chance. _He thought, returning to his seat.

They all looked at him expectantly.

"Have you made your decision, Ikuto-kun?" Dia asked.

He nodded slowly. "I'll join your guild."

* * *

**Hannah-Sama: Soooo… my power went out! Ah, yes, for Utau's "real-name" – please remember, as this is a game, no one gives they're real names(I haven't decided on Ikuto yet). It specifically mentions in the last episode of SAO that Asuna was the only one who actually used her real name. And no one has last names in the game. I don't know how that's work…. Would you have to be like xIkutox7847? xD lol.**

**Nadeshiko: This was a shorter chapter.**

**Hannah: Yep. The rest of them will be. The others were a bit too long anyway. Nagi, will you do the honors?**

**Nagihiko: Thanks for reading, R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5: Black Cat(s) of Misfortune

**A/N: Gomen, minna! I know I haven't updated in a while, but here's the next chapter! Before we get started, I have a couple of announcements first! Also, I had to use a lot of line breaks here. Normally, I only use line breaks in a change of scenery, like the next day or something, but the spaces in between paragraphs weren't holding. So that's why there's so many. **

**Please Read:**

**For my SAO fans out there, a guy named "TheRyanSpark" is doing auditions for an English SAO fandub on Youtube! I don't know if any of you do voice stuff, but if you do, make sure to check it out! I'm auditioning myself! ;)**

**Second, I have a new Shugo Chara! Story that I'd like you to check out! It's an OC story, so please submit a character! But make sure you PM me, as I will only be using those! No submissions through reviews! Anyway, I'd be happy if you checked it out! It's called "A New Song"! It's going to be fun! :)**

**Thanks! And here we go with the next chapter! **

* * *

Chapter 4: The Black Cat(s) of Misfortune

_December 27th _

_Floor 22, Eastern Forest _

"Ren, switch!" Ikuto instructed.

The energetic male jumped forward, replacing Rhythm, and attacked the giant praying mantis they were fighting. He lopped off a limb, which exploded into light shards.

"Dia, Kiseki, you're up! All of you, work together!"

Dia and Ren ran forward, just as the mantis started it's attack. Ren blocked one of the mantis' arms and Dia blocked the other.

"Switch!" Kiseki and Rhythm yelled together. They ran past Dia and Ren and jumped up, driving their swords into the monster. It reared back, right before it disappeared.

_Defeated!_

"Yeah! We did it! Wohoo!" Ren was the first to erupt into cheers.

"Oh yeah!" Rhythm gave him a high five.

"Good job everyone!" Dia smiled, giving a hug to Nadeshiko, who beamed.

Kiseki stood off to the side, clearly uncomfortable with Ren and Rhythm's constant cheering, back-slapping and high-fiving.

"Aw, come on, Kiseki, loosen up!" Ren grabbed him, getting him in a head-lock.

"Hey! Let me go, you commoners!" Kiseki yelled, his face turning red. Rhythm laughed and ruffled his hair, only further enraging his lilac-haired partner. Dia and Nadeshiko burst into fits of giggles and laughter at Kiseki's enraged insults, struggling and kicking.

"Release me, I command you!"

"Come on, Kiseki, you know you love us!"

Ikuto found himself smiling slightly at the group.

"Hey Ikuto! At this rate, we'll be ready to go back into the dungeons in no time!" Ren yelled happily, finally releasing the red-faced Kiseki from his grasp.

Ikuto nodded. It was true, the guild was improving fast with the training he was giving them. After rescuing them from the trolls, he'd refused to let them re-enter the dungeons until they levelled up some more.

"Let's get back into town." Kiseki said, finally straitening himself out from Ren's intrusion on his personal space. The redhead seemed to have no knowledge of what that was.

"Right" Ren grabbed Rhythm and Nadeshiko, sprinting away. "Race you guys there!"

They disappeared behind the hill.

"Does Ren-kun remember that we have teleport crystals?" Dia wondered.

* * *

"MY favorite fight was the bee!"

"What?! No way! It was totally the mantis!"

"You're just saying that because you're the one who killed it!"

"Yup!"

"Silence." Kiseki commanded. With a huff, Ren sat down, surrendering from his 'fight' with Rhythm.

"With all the money and leveling we've been doing, I think it's about time we get a building for our guild. We've finally saved up enough."

The guild burst into smiles, and Dia and Nadeshiko clapped a bit. Ren and Rhythm high-fived.

"So, as of tomorrow, I will go and search for the perfect place for our guild to house." Kiseki gave a pointed glance to Ren. "I trust you will be able to remain out of trouble."

Ren chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

Rhythm laughed. "It's cool! Chill, Kiseki, we'll keep an eye on him!"

Kiseki gave a nod. "Good."

Dia smiled. "I heard there's a celebration in the town square. We should go!"

"Sounds fine to me." Kiseki stated, standing.

"What do you think, Ikuto-kun?" Dia asked.

He shrugged. "Sure."

Ren and Rhythm struck up a conversation again as they headed out, walking towards the town square.

Nadeshiko, who was quietly pacing next to Ikuto, jumped slightly as a nearby woman burst into tears.

"You're LYING! He can't be dead!" She screamed.

Nadeshiko's eyes widened slightly.

The woman gave a slap to the man she was talking to. "How could you?! How could you let him die?! This is REAL! We don't get to see him again!"

"Calm down!" Another man yelled, shaking her by the shoulders.

The woman burst into tears, sobbing into the man's chest.

Ikuto lightly tugged on Nadeshiko's arm. "Come on, Nadeshiko."

She began walking again, but didn't take her eyes off the woman.

"Ikuto!"

He turned at the sound of his name, called by a familiar voice.

"Kukai…?"

"Hey man! How've you been doing!" He grinned, slapping him on the back.

"Fine." He replied.

"Woah, did you join a guild? Awesome, who are you guys?"

"We're the Midnight Black Cats. I'm the leader of the guild, Kiseki." He introduced.

"Cool! I'm Kukai and this is one of the members of my guild, Sky Jack! This is Daichi!" He gestured to a lime green-haired man beside him. "Yo!" He greeted.

"Nice to meet ya! I'm Ren, this is Rhythm, here's Dia, and there's… Nadeshiko?" He ended with a question, glancing around. "Where'd she go?"

They glanced around worriedly, wondering where their soft-spoken partner had gone.

"She's not here…" Dia said worriedly.

Ikuto opened his menu and flipped through it, pushing various buttons. Soon, a pair of glowing footprints appeared, leading in the opposite direction in which they were going.

"She went his way." Ikuto said, pointing. "You guys go on ahead. I'll find her."

"You sure?" Dia asked.

"Yeah. You guys go."

They nodded and headed off towards the town square.

Ikuto turned, following the footprints. He walked through the village for a while, finally arriving at a bridge. He glanced around and noticed them leading underneath. He soon saw a figure curled up. It was Nadeshiko, sitting miserably with her knees brought up to her chest, resting her chin on them.

"Nadeshiko?" He asked tentatively, approaching cautiously.

She barely glanced up. "Hello, Ikuto."

He paused at a distance from her. "Why'd you run off?"

"I got upset."

"Was it that conversation we overheard?"

She nodded, sniffling. Ikuto noticed a few tears on her cheeks.

"I don't understand. This is just a game! Why? What's the point? Why do we have to die?"

Ikuto sighed. What could he say? It was probably best to just let her talk until she got everything out of her system.

"Why do we have to die, even though it's just a game! I have a family! I have a brother! I don't want to die…" Nadeshiko put her head down and began to sob quietly.

Something tugged at Ikuto's heart. Normally, he'd just blow it off and walk away, but…

"I'm scared."

_She reminds me of someone…._

"You won't."

Nadeshiko sniffled, wiping her tears, and glanced up. "Huh?"

"You won't die. You and your guild are getting stronger. They're all going to protect you." Ikuto looked down. "And I will too. I promise. So you don't have to worry."

He didn't notice her getting up until she was right in front of him. Taking one of his hands, she looked up to him, her wide, tear-glazed amber eyes smiling. "Thank you, Ikuto." She said.

He nodded. "We should get back. They're waiting for us."

* * *

"Ren," Rhythm sighed. "You're going to get drunk."

"Can you even get drunk in this game?" Ren shot back, keeping his cup from Rhythm's thieving hands.

"…I don't know." He admitted.

"Exactly! So hands off!"

Dia giggled. "It's better so be safe than sorry, Ren-kun."

"Sorry? For what?! I regret nothing!"

"You might if you wake up with a hangover." Kiseki added.

"Pffff. This is a game. Even if I _could _get drunk, they won't give me a hangover!"

"…"

"There's no point in arguing with him. He won't give up his alcohol. Even if he's underage." Dia grinned mischievously at him.

"It's a game!" He shouted indignantly.

"Oh look, here comes Ikuto-kun with Nadeshiko!" Dia waved them over.

Ikuto walked over, Nadeshiko trailing behind him.

"Nade!" Dia embraced her. "Are you okay? What happened? Why'd you run off?"

She looked down. "Um…"

"It's getting a bit late." Ikuto observed, trying to change the subject.

Kiseki nodded. "Yes it is. Let's head back."

Rhythm sighed. "I hope we don't have to deal with a hung over Ren tomorrow."

"Hey!" Ren yelled. Rhythm laughed and grabbed his arm, dragging him back towards the tavern.

* * *

Ikuto sighed, folding his arms behind his head as he closed his eyes.

_It's already been several months since the game began… how long will it take? We're not even halfway done yet…_

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in," he called, sitting up.

The door opened and Nadeshiko walked in, her normally pulled back hair falling past her shoulders, a pillow clutched to her chest.

"Sorry, Ikuto… but I still can't sleep. Is it okay if I stay with you?"

He nodded, and she walked over. Ikuto laid back down, facing the wall.

_She said she couldn't sleep at night because she was scared. _

"You don't have to worry. The Midnight Black Cats is a strong guild. So you'll be safer than others. You won't die, I promise." He said, glancing back towards her.

She allowed a meek smile. "Thank you, Ikuto." She closed her eyes. "What is your family like?"

He sighed. "Well, I have a little sister and a mother. We were pretty close…" He trailed off.

"I have a twin brother. We were really close. I liked dancing. My mother was really strict about it, but I know she just wants me to do the best I can." She was silent for a moment "I hope I can go back to them."

"You will."

_I promise. _

* * *

"Dia, I'm leaving you in charge." Kiseki said as he opened the portal.

"Alright Kiseki." Dia smiled. "I can handle it!"

He nodded. "I'll be back tonight. Goodbye."

And with that he was gone, passing through the portal.

"Well, we have a whole day to do anything we want!" Rhythm grinned, turning to look at the rest of his guild.

"I have an idea!" Ren said, making everyone look at him. He grinned, slinging arn arm around Ikuto's shoulders. "Sicne we're stronger now, we should totally check out the dungeons! We can handle it, right, Neko-boy?"

Ikuto's eye twitched and a vein popped on his forehead. "Neko-boy?"

"So whaddya think?" Ren completely ignored Ikuto's question.

"Well, I suppose it would be fine. We're strong enough now." Dia said.

"What do you guys think?" Ren asked Nadeshiko and Rhythm.

Nadeshiko nodded slightly and Rhythm smiled. "Sounds fun!"

"Should we walk or use teleport crystals?" Dia asked.

"Let's teleport so we can get there sooner!" Ren pulled one out for himself, finally releasing Ikuto. He turned towards his violet-haired partner. "You have one, right, Nadeshiko?"

She nodded, and Ren smiled back at her, giving a thumbs up. "Right!" He held it up, and with a flash, he was gone. The rest soon followed.

* * *

"We're not getting much reward." Rhythm sighed as they trudged along the dungeon corridor. The rest nodded in agreement.

"This place has pretty much been wiped clean after all of the front-line players moved through." Ikuto said. "The HP and coin levels drop after a while."

"Hey, look! Ren yelled, racing over to a wall." He placed his hand on the wall, a pattern tracing itself out in blue. A door swung open as the rest of the guild gathered around him.

_A secret room in an already-explored dungeon? _Ikuto thought confusedly.

The room was empty, save for a large treasure chest in the center of the room.

"Wohoo!" Ren cheered, racing towards it, Rhythm following.

Alarm bells went off in Ikuto's head.

"No, wait!" He yelled, but Ren didn't listen. Dia and Nadeshiko turned to him curiously as they ran in pursuit of them inside the room.

Ren opened the lid with a big grin on his face, peering in expectantly.

There was nothing there.

Suddenly the lights faded, and the room turned red. Alarms went off, and panels in the walls opened.

"Monsters!" Dia yelled, stepping back, lifting up her sword.

As each panel opened, Large trolls and grunts stepped through, surrounding them. Ikuto came to realize they were separated.

The monsters began to attack. Ikuto lifted his sword to block an attack and slashed at it. He fully focused on his fighting, his mind slipping into battle mode.

"Use your teleport crystals!" Rhythm shouted, trying to keep the monsters at bay.

Ren lifted them above his head. "It doesn't work!" He yelled back, his voice filled with despair and a hint of panic. "It must be a crystal-free zone!"

"What are you-AHHHH!" Rhythm yelled out. He landed on his face, having been stabbed by a grunt.

Ren slowly turned his face to look at his friend.

Rhythm looked up, his blue eyes making contact with Ren's red ones.

A Troll swung his hammer, making contact with Rhythm's head.

Rhythm's eyes widened as time seemed to freeze. He could only keep his eyes locked with Ren's as his figure flashed blue before exploding, his body evaporating into blue shards.

Ren froze, his eyes wide in horror.

"RHYTHM!" He screamed, his hand extending to where he'd last seen his friend.

There was nothing there, no matter how much Ren hoped his best friend would somehow reappear.

His gaze hardened as a determined fire filled his eyes.

"AAAUUGGHH!" He screamed, standing up, yelling angrily. Rage filled him as he fought and slashed with a vigor, slaying the monsters around him.

However, his rage-filled strokes soon slowed and turned clumsy as he began to feel exhausted.

And as he knocked the hammer of a troll out of the way, he made a mistake.

He left himself exposed.

And that mistake proved fatal when a grunt stabbed him in the chest with it's odachi.

Ren's eyes closed as he resigned to his fate. His image faded away.

Ikuto turned just in time to catch Ren's death. He gasped, his eyes widening. He quickly glanced around.

Dia gasped as she fell backward, her sword clattering away from her. Two monsters had attacked her at once, catching her off-guard.

Quicker than she could even make a move to grab her sword, a grunt was advancing on her. Dia stumbled back, forgetting that there monsters behind her as well. But then she remembered.

A loud beep and flash blurred her vision, and when her eyes cleared, she look down. Her eyes widened.

A sword was protruding through her chest.

She slowly turned her head to see a grunt behind her, it's arm still extended with the sword shoved through her back.

Dia's mind still couldn't grasp the situation.

_This is it…_ She thought. A tear rolled down her cheek. It gathered at her chin and dripped off.

Her profile terminated. Dia's tear hit the floor a moment later.

Ikuto shoved through the monsters. "Nadeshiko!" He shouted when he caught a flash of purple.

"Ikuto!" She shouted, fighting to fend back the monsters. She turned to look at him, taking her focus off the monsters for a split second.

"Nade!" Ikuto shouted desperately, his hand reaching out to her.

She smiled, leaping towards him, but her smile faltered as a red slash mark appeared on her left cheek and right side simultaneously.

She looked down at her wounds, then back up at him, her hand still reached towards him.

She smiled once more, a soft, broken, sad smile that tore Ikuto's heart.

She whispered something, her lips moving to form words that Ikuto couldn't catch.

His hand finally reached her, clasping her fingers.

But then the hand was no longer there. Ikuto stopped, the blue shards flying through his fingers.

A deep anger, pounding hatred filled him. He wanted to hit something. He didn't care what.

_Just…_

Ikuto looked up, seeing the monsters surrounding him.

_…anything. _

_Kazoumi Hoshina! You did this!_

_You will pay dearly! _

Ikuto saw red as he launched into a series of deadly, rage-filled attacks.

* * *

Blue lights flashed as Ikuto emerged from his portal, back into the village.

He slowly began to walk, without a mind, his head down, bangs shadowing his eyes.

The death of the guild continued to haunt him. Rhythm's yell, Ren's horror, Dia's tears, and Nadeshiko's words.

_What were they? What did she say? Probably some last curses. She hates me for letting her down. For lying to her._

He found himself strolling on a terrace, the fence beside him the only thing keeping the solid ground separate from a long fall through the sky below.

_I still wish I knew. Even if they were curses… I deserve to hear them… for letting her down…_

"Ikuto! There you are!"

He looked up slightly.

The last surviving member of the Midnight Black Cats, beside himself, was hurrying towards him.

He looked a bit irritated, but smiled nonetheless. "Where is everyone? I've been looking for them everywhere!" Not waiting for an answer, he continued. "Anyway, I found the perfect building for us! I was going to wait, but it was so perfect, I already bought it! Let's find the others so we can go see it! I know they'll love it – "

"Kiseki."

The utter seriousness and sorrow in Ikuto's voice froze the lilac-haired man in his spot.

"They're gone. We went to the dungeons. There was a trap."

Kiseki stopped, his smile frozen on his face. A look of disbelief flashed across his face.

"Oh, wow, how did you guys escape that? Must have been hard! I guess they really have improved!"

"We didn't, Kiseki."

"What are you talking about, Ikuto? They – "

"Kiseki, stop."

He did. He looked down as well, his face shadowed and hidden.

They were both silent.

"I always knew we wouldn't make it." Kiseki said quietly. "The second we were trapped, I knew it. But I tried to think optimistic, staying positive. My gang and I waited for this game to come out for a year. We planned out everything. We were just a couple of kids in highschool. Who would have known that a game and our dream guild in a fantasy world could kill us, huh?" He chuckled, but it was cold, dead, and had a hint of hysterical insanity to it. It sent shivers down Ikuto's spine.

He looked up. His eyes were cold and empty. "Thank you, Ikuto. For everything." He turned, looking at the sky beyond the terrace, where the sun was setting. "And good luck."

With that he ran forward and leapt over the edge of the terrace.

"Kiseki!" Ikuto yelled, running to the edge.

Kiseki's form fell until he reached the first clouds. With that, it flashed out of existence.

Ikuto stayed there, stunned, his eyes wide.

His hands began shaking, and he clenched them to keep them still. He leaned forward on the railing, burying his face into his arms.

* * *

**Hannah-Sama: …**

**Everyone: …**

**Amu: Well that was sad.**

**Ikuto: Amuuuu! *hugs***

**Amu: *bangs head against wall***

**Hannah: Lolz. Well somebody's not bothered by ya'lls deaths. **

**Nade, Kiseki, Dia, Rhythm and Ran: *sweatdrop***

**Hannah: Anyway, I was listening to "When I die young" while writing this. It was pretty sad. I hope I made the death scenes emotional enough. What did ya'll think about genderbent Ran? **

**Ran: It was cool! Rhythm and I were best buds! *high fives Rhythm***

**Hannah: Ha. Have you guys ever noticed how Ikuto is always super OOC in author's notes?**

**Ikuto: I know, right? I don't talk THAT much. IDIOTS! *blush***

**Hannah: Like that... *sweatdrop* ah, oh well. It probably has to do with most of the authors being female and Ikuto, being, well... Ikuto *snicker***

**Amu: What do you mean by that?**

**Saaya: Are you blind AND deaf, Hinamori?! She's obviously talking about Ikuto-Sama's - **

**Utau: Woah woah woah, who let you in here? **

**Amu: "Ikuto-Sama"?**

***crickets chirping***

**Hannah: haha, ummmmm... Dia! Sign us out, please! **

**Dia: Thank you for reading!**

**Su: R&R, desu~! **


	6. Chapter 6: Nade's Legacy

Chapter 5: Nade's Legacy

_December 30__th__, Christmas Eve_

_Floor 22, Main Village_

_Are you sure you wish to make this trade?_

Ikuto tapped the affirmative blue circle, and the window closed. He looked up, his dull sapphire eyes boring into the bright scarlet ones of his current companion.

The red eyes strayed from Ikuto to a window as it popped up in front of him with a 'ping' noise, displaying the details of the trade that had just taken place. He tapped the 'ok' button, causing it to disappear.

"So, Tadase," Ikuto started, leaning his head into his hand, "the answer to my questions?"

"Regarding your first one: no, the items that have the power to bring someone back to life only work within a specified amount of time. At this level, there is a special item obtainable that allows you to have ten seconds. There is one that allows you to have three days, but that isn't obtainable for several levels yet, not to mention it takes forever to get it." Tadase replied immediately. "About your second question, yes, someone has been going and setting traps in all of the easier tunnels and trapping the rookies. At first, we didn't know who it was, but now we know it was the work of a guild. Most of the traps only trap the players in for a certain amount of time, and they get out, minus some supplies, of course. Yours was most definitely the most severe. There has only been one other casualty resulting from the traps. The identity of the guild responsible remains unknown at the moment, but they are working to discover their identity. In fact, we could use you, Ikuto-san. I know you're a high level player, and we could use someone with your skills."

"What use would an info broker be on a mission like this?"

Tadase smiled. "Using my skills and those of a tracker put together, we can discover the identity. Combining our knowledge has promising results."

"Mm." Ikuto nodded absently. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll have to decline." He turned away, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

He turned back to meet Tadase's pleading eyes.

"Please, Ikuto-san, we need your help. More and more of these traps are being made and hurting innocent players. Though yours has been the worst so far, the traps may get worse. We need to stop this atrocity. Please help us keep more innocent people from dying."

_Innocent. Just like Nadeshiko. She didn't deserve death. _

Tadase sighed as he looked into Ikuto's unwavering eyes. "Alright, but please, I implore you to reconsider. If you do… you'll know where to find me." He took his hand from Ikuto's shoulder, and the midnight-haired man disappeared into the crowd.

Ikuto's eyes glazed over the festive lights decorating the village for Christmas without really admiring the beauty. He wasn't touched by the aura of happiness surrounding the people, or the smiles they wore on their faces. His face remained expressionless, his eyes cold.

He arrived at the center of town, gazing up at the Christmas tree that they had decorated for the occasion. A glowing yellow star was perched on the top, streamers, tinsel, and lights swirling towards the bottom. His hand stretched out and took one of the branches in his hands, twisting it against his skin, feeling the texture.

_This is a game. _He thought to himself. _I've been at this for years, and yet it still amazes me sometimes. _

He sighed and made his way into a nearby tavern. He ate quickly, not much tasting anything. He paid for his room and went up to it, closing the door behind him. He threw himself on the bed, facing the ceiling. Draping an arm over his eyes, he sighed quietly.

His mind again wandered about this bizarre situation he was trapped in. He wanted to know why. Why someone would trap ten thousand people in a coma just for the sake of playing God – at the cost of their own life. This was practically genocide! The man had a daughter himself, didn't he feel any remorse? And guilt for tearing these people away from their lives, family, and friends?

An alert noise attracted his attention. He removed his arm and glanced at the window that appeared before him.

_You have received a gift!_

He pressed a button, and a prism appeared before him. He tapped it lightly with his finger, and a blue glow lit up inside, growing, filling the prism with light.. He gasped quietly as a familiar voice began to speak.

"Hi, Ikuto-kun! It's Nadeshiko. I hope you're doing okay, and that you're fine, and happy. Well… by now, I'm most likely not in the game anymore. I don't know how long I'm going to make it, and I'm surprised I made it this far. I would have most likely died in that cave if it hadn't of been for you. I knew when I left the Town of Beginnings that I would most likely die, fighting like that. I never really wanted to leave, but, I'm happy. The time I've spent with you, and my friends, Ren, Rhythm, Dia, Kiseki… it has been some of the best, most exciting times of my life. Even if I was scared, there was always someone there to help me through. My death isn't anyone's fault. My leaving the town was something I had to do. Even if I was scared. Even if I didn't want to."

Ikuto glanced down, focusing on the sheets of his bed instead of the prism as he listened to her melodic voice.

"You always told me how I wasn't going to die, no matter what happened, and that I'd make it through. I knew you'd blame yourself for my death, Ikuto. That's why I recorded this for you. I accidentally looked at your stats one time when you weren't looking, so I know how strong you are. I'm sorry about that. But, I wondered why you decided to fight with us and didn't tell us your rank. I mean, someone like you could get into one of those big-shot guilds, right? I never figured that out. But, it made me happy. So, even if I die, promise me you'll go on living, okay, Ikuto?"

Ikuto closed his eyes as Nadeshiko paused for a moment, some pinging noises in the background of the message.

"Sorry, I don't know how long I have to record on this thing." She giggled. "Anyway, it's Christmas now, right? Merry Christmas, Ikuto-kun! Well, I'm not very good at singing, but it's Christmas, so it doesn't matter. I guess I'll sing a song for you!"

Her soft voice began humming a tune. Ikuto recognized it as 'Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer'.

He remained silent and unmoving as her voice navigated the bars and notes of the song, softly and happily humming the tune. All to soon it came to an end, and her voice faded into silence.

"Merry Christmas, Ikuto." She whispered one last time, and the light in the prism died. It dropped out of the air, bouncing off the bed sheets and clattering on the floor, but Ikuto paid it no heed.

_Nadeshiko…_

He slowly stood from his bed and left the room, descending the stairs. Everyone in the tavern was drinking an celebrating. Ikuto glanced at a member's open menu and saw it was 12:07. So it was Christmas already.

Ikuto went out of the door into the night. The festivities were over, most people were inside or sleeping, though a few people still roamed around the streets. Ikuto walked back past the tree and through the town, arriving at the house he'd visited earlier that night.

He rapped at the door, and it was soon opened by a tired looking blond. He cocked his brow curiously upon seeing Ikuto standing at the door.

"Ikuto-san?" He questioned. "Was there something you needed?"

Ikuto nodded, taking a deep breath. "I'll join you."

A smile alighted Tadase's face. "May I ask what changed your mind?"

"No." He replied immediately.

Tadase chuckled softly. "Alright. My apologies. Well, good, I'm glad you decided to help, Ikuto-san. We're leaving tomorrow at nine a.m., please meet us in the town square."

Ikuto nodded. "See ya." He called over his back.

"Goodnight."

Ikuto trudged quickly back to his tavern, his footsteps somehow quicker and lighter than before.

His thoughts again returned to Nadeshiko. Though she was often scared, she was braver than she first appeared. She could have remained in the Town of Beginnings, cowering in the corner of a nice safe house. But she had decided to leave, and fight with her friends. That took a lot of courage. She was only a rookie. He wouldn't have been surprised if it was her first full dive.

He arrived back the tavern and went once more to his room. He laid down in his bed and closed his eyes. Sleep overtook him quickly.

* * *

**A/N: It's been awhile, hasn't it? That would probably be because I wrote this chapter twice. I wrote the chapter out, decided I didn't like it, and decided to take the story in a whole other direction. So, I apologize for the wait, again. School. Crap. Ya'll know what I'm sayin ;)**

**Anyway, I was watching this video on YT where this girl talked about Japanese customs. She talked about how everyone is really humble and considerate of others. She cautioned you think before you speak because oh how what you say might affect others. I though that was really cool. I kinda feel like in America we're kind of self-centered, all like "me, me me" and the like. I just admire that attitude. I myself need to work on thinking before I speak more. I'm kind of impulsive :P Although, she said they liked quiet, which made me sad, cuz I'm a naturally loud person :/ Oh well, I'll have to work on that too, I guess ;)**

**Anyway, I hope everything is going great with you guys. Thanks for all the reviews and support, have a great day! :)**


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